I don't know how I missed this when checking it out prior to buying.

https://i.imgur.com/yHr3dGo.jpg


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I can't really tell if it's just leaking around the plug or the housing is trashed. What are my options here?

 

You are in the best position to take a closer look and let us know.

 

Looks to me like it prob got squirted on when PO tipped up the jug to fill it. No big deal, you can buy the fill plug seals which are little metal crush washers for next to nothing from toyota dealer. I'd buy a couple then pull the fill plug to make sure its full, put on new washer and don't worry about it.

 

Clean it with solvent and see if it comes back.
But as rad said, you're there. look.

 

A little hard now but I would say clean real good and paint with some good paint .

12" plus of snow makes things interesting

Also make sure the vent is clear if not it can build pressure and push out through a pin hole .

My2000 Tacoma was weeping cleaning and painting cured the issue for a few years now.

If you do decide to get a used axle housing I would love your old one.

I have been trying to find a rusted one for years now

Where in Eastern Pa ??

 

Yeah, looking at the photo now, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that it's leaking from a crack or hole in the housing. Just the way it's distributed and how I've always understood gravity to work. Hope not.

It's in need of a seal replacement job.

Hopefully I'm just overreacting to every little thing because I bought the thing from a shady car flipper.

I'm in Chester County. What would you want a rusty rear axle for?

 

Well at first it seemed like these axles were rusting out all over the place .

Now after a few years it seems they are really far and few between or never get talked about in any forums

I wanted to see if it was practical to repair them on a exchange basis but from what I found not ever enough rusting to be practical.

But being curious I would still look at a procedure to do it

Funny even posting adds for a rusted axle housing I keep getting sellers wanting to sell me a good one.

 

Clean it really well with brake cleaner and a scrub brush. I'll bet if you look at it in a day or two you'll find that the rear cover has one or more pinholes. The cover is very thin sheet metal and rusts from the outside due to minimal paint/coating from the factory and then road salt doing its thing.

i cut off and welded on a used cover for a buddy's '98 4Runner. That was fun.

Your pic shows some pretty heavy rust scale - the problem will just continue.



Andreas

 

^ Exactly!. In Canada it is a very common problem, the brake line & e-brake cable mounts are also a problem being spot welded to the very thin housing, they rust causing leaks aswell, (they stopped doing this in newer models). Best bet for me on my old parts 4R was to drain it completely, take a flap disk to it with the angle grinder until it was clean down to the metal exposing the pin holes ( I had 5), I also had to remove the e-brake cable support as it was leaking behind it, and its not really needed, roughed it up good and then I picked up some 2 part liquid JB weld for gas tanks let it cure for proper time, prime paint, held for the 5 more years I drove it, may still be holding. hot gear oil in the wind will get pushed around, brake clean it and start grinding and you will see pin holes show up.